##§$\~:,,,                                          ,,,:~\$§##
###§$\~:,,                                          ,,:~\$§###
####§$\~:,                                          ,:~\$§####
###§$\~:,,                                          ,,:~\$§###
##§$\~:,,,                                          ,,,:~\$§##
#§$\~:,,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,,:~\$§#
§$\~:,,,,,             the alvar fields             ,,,,,:~\$§
$\~:,,,,,,             $$$##########$$$             ,,,,,,:~\$
\~:,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,:~\
~:,,,,,,,, from   north  to   south,   thirty   odd ,,,,,,,,:~
:,,,,,,,,, kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four ,,,,,,,,,:
~:,,,,,,,, thousand meters. from topsoil  to stone, ,,,,,,,,:~
\~:,,,,,,, a foot or  two.  no roots can fester, no ,,,,,,,:~\
$\~:,,,,,,             dust can linger.             ,,,,,,:~\$
§$\~:,,,,,                                          ,,,,,:~\$§
#§$\~:,,,, here  is  earth, clay,  and  sturdy  low ,,,,:~\$§#
##§$\~:,,, plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ,,,:~\$§##
###§$\~:,, earth  is bare in  patches  as  large as ,,:~\$§###
####§$\~:,                you and me.               ,:~\$§####
###§$\~:,,                                          ,,:~\$§###
##§$\~:,,, cross it to get  to  the ocean, or don't ,,,:~\$§##
#§$\~:,,,,          to stay where you are.          ,,,,:~\$§#
§$\~:,,,,,                                          ,,,,,:~\$§
$\~:,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,:~\$
\~:,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,:~\
~:,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,:~
:,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,,:
~:,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,:~